Feeder means



Sept. 21, 1943. E, w. sHALLocK FEEDER MEANS Filed May 1, 1941 3Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. .ZEiward ZMS/allaclfi E. w. SHALLOCK FEEDERMEANS Sept. 21, 1943.

Fil ed May 1, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR'. v

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Sept. 21, 1943. E. w. SHALLOCK 2,329,948

FEEDER MEANS Filed May 1, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR-r wwrlllrllfllllllrllllllflj w a w rsaaas Sept. 21, its

FEEDER MEANS Edward W. Shallock, Chicago, IlL, assignor to American OreReclamation Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of New YorkApplication May 1, 1941, Serial No. 391,287

Claims.

The invention relates to feeder means, and has to do with feeder meansintended for use in sintering plants and analogous establishments.

In sintering plants, the materials to be sintered are stored in bins,usually remote from the sinterlng machine, from which they are'delivered in appropriate proportions to a conveyor, the latterdelivering these materials to a mixer, from which the mixture ofmaterials is delivered to the sintering machine. In a known form ofmeans for delivering the materials from the bins to the conveyor, eachof the bins has a depending hopper which directs the material from thatbin downwardly onto the upper face of a revolving feeder table, thehopper being provided with means for permitting regulated flow of thematerial therefrom and having associated therewith a scraper plateextending beyond the table, at the side thereof at which the conveyor islocated, this scraper plate serving to deflect the material and todischarge it from the table downwardly onto the conveyor. Frequently,the material being handled is highly abrasive and causes wear of thetable and the supporting means therefor, resulting in appreciabledownward movement or lowering of the table. It is the usual practice tomount the table on a vertical shaft rotated by a worm wheel secured onthe shaft and a worm meshing with the wheel and secured on a drivenshaft. It is necessary that the axis of the worm be in the centralhorizontal plane of the tooth face of the Worm wheel, in order to assureproper drive between these members, and avoid binding, with resultingexcessive wear. Due to that necessity, considerable difilculty has beenexperienced in plants having feeder tables driven in the manner stated.

My invention is directed to feeder means in which the above notedobjections to the present type of feeder table and associated parts,above 'referred to, are avoided. I provide means whereby wear of thefeeder table is relatively slight compared to the present practice abovereferred to, and downward movement of the feeder table incident to wearof the supporting and bearing means therefor is accommodated withoutimpairing the drive of the table or causing binding of parts andresulting excessive wear thereof. More specifically, in the arrangementof my invention, a layer of the material delivered from the bin ismaintained upon the upper face of the feeder table and serves to protectthe latter against wear, while also assuring proper delivery of thematerial from the hopper to the scraper plate, and the shaft. whichsupport the feeder table is mounted to accommodate downward movementincident to wear, and is driven by intermeshing gear members of acharacter to permit such downward movement while maintaining proper meshbetween such members without binding thereof. In addition, the feedertable and the associated transmission unit for driving it are so relatedthat the drive unit may be removed and replaced with expedition andfacility, without necessity for removing the table and the materialsupported thereby and in the bin above it, which effects a materialsaving in time and work in repairing or replacing the drive unit. I alsoprovide clutch means controlling the drive of the feeder table andautomatically released in the event of overloading of the table, toavoid excessive stresses with resulting possible breakage or damage tothe feeder table and the parts associated therewith.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear from thedetail description.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front view of feeder means -embodying myinvention, with certain parts broken cuits.

In the drawings I have shown the lower portion.of a bin 1 to which isbolted or otherwise suitably secured the upper end of a hopper 8 which,in general, is of known construction and depends from the bin above afeeder table 9. Bin 1 opens freely into hopper 8 and table 9 supportsthe material thereon, as will appear more fully presently, and supportsin part the load of the material within the bin, serving in conJunctionwith hopper 8 to prevent discharge of material from the bin except asrequired in accordance with discharge of material from table 9, as willbe explained more fully later. Hopper 8 comprises a substantiallycylindrical body ill, on the lower end portion of which is adjustablymounted, by bolt and slot means, or in any other Figure 6 is a diagramof the signal light cirsuitable manner, a seal ring ll.

Body IU of hopper 8 is provided with a housing l2 of triangular shape inplan, comprising a downwardly and inwardly inclined top wall l3 and sidewalls l4 and i5 converging inwardly of body I0, this housing l2 openingat its outer end through one side of body I 0. Wall I5 is provided withan opening l6, conveniently of rectangular outline, extending from itslower edge and controlled by a gate l1 slidable in guides l8 suitablysecured to wall IS. A lever I9, pivoted at 20, is connected to the upperend of gate l1, at its inner end, by links 2| pivoted to the gate and tothe lever, the latter being held in adjustment by a pin 22 insertedthrough a selected one of a series of openings 23 in an arcuate plate24, the pin also being inserted through an opening in lever IS. The gateand lever provide means for controlling the effective size of openingl6, and thus controlling the rate of discharge of material through thisopening into housing I2, as will appear more fully presently. A scraperplate 25, provided at its inner end with an angularly disposed flange26,.is secured to an angle bracket 21 welded or otherwise secured towall I4, and to an outer extension M11 of the latter wall, as shown moreclearly in Figure 2. Preferably, plate 25 is secured to bracket 21 andto extension I411 of wall I4 by slot and bolt means, permitting of thisplate being adjusted vertically, though any other suitable means may beemployed for securing the scraper plate 25 in position. The hopper 8 is,in general, of known construction and need not be illustrated nordescribed here in greater detail.

Body I!) of hopper 8 is of materially less diameter than table 9, and isdisposed coaxially therewith, and scraper plate 25 extends outwardbeyond the table, as shown in Figure 2. Table 9 is provided with adepending circumferential flange 29 (Figure 4), to which is secured,conveniently by bolt and slot means, a ring 30 projecting above table 9and providing an .upwardly extending circumferential retaining flangeextending thereabove. Table 9 is rotated, in a manner to be laterdescribed, in clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2. The material isdelivered from bin 1 into hopper 8, body In of which may contain aconsiderable volume of material designated m in Figure 4. Seal ring IIis so adjusted that the lower edge thereof is substantially in the planeof the upper edge of ring 30, and scraper plate 25 is similarlyadjusted. During the rotation of table 9, with gate l1 open, thematerial m will pass through opening l6 into housing l2, and will bedeflected by scraper plate 25 so as to traveloutward along the latterand be discharged from table 9 at one side thereof. The material thusdischarged from the table passes downward onto the upper run 3| of aconveyor C of known type, upper run 3| of which is concaved downwardlyin cross section and is below and, in part, beneath table 9, lower run32 of this conveyor being flat or straight in cross section. By properlyadjusting gate l1 and rotating table 9 at constant speed, the rate atwhich the material is delivered to the conveyor may be accuratelycontrolled.

The portion of ring 30 projecting above the upper face of table 9provides an annular flange effective for retaining upon the table a bedor layer Z of material, which layer is of appreciable depth and servesto guard table 9 against abra sion or wear by the material beinghandled. A further advantage of providing the layer Z of material isthat it renders easier and more accurate the handling of materials whichare more or less fluid or slippery, such, for example, as filter cakewhich is of a wet, clay-like consistency, and would slip in contact withmetal, the result being that such material is often difficult to deliverat'a uniform rate from the body ID of hopper 8 to housing l2 and thescraper plate 25. I flnd that by providing a layer, such as the layer Z,of filter cake or analogous material on the table 9, the mass ofmaterial m above this layer will adhere to the latter and will travelwith the table 9 more readily than if such a layer were not provided,rendering more accurate feeding of materials of the character referredto possible. In either case, the underlying layer Z of the materialremains stationary, or substantially so, relative to table 9 during thefeeding operation, due to friction, with the result that the wear oftable 9 is much less than would be the case if this layer 1 of materialwere not retained thereon.

Table 9 is provided with a central depending hub 33 provided at itslower end with an outwardly extending flange 34, there being reenforcingwebs 340 at the underface of table 9 extending from hub 33 and flange34. Flange 34 seats upon the upper face of a flange 35 extending outwardfrom the upper end portion of a hub 36 keyed on the upper end of avertical shaft 31 of stepped formation. The flanges 34 and 35 are boltedtogether, for a purpose to be explained later. Rotation of shaft 31serves to impart the desired rotation to table 9.

Shaft 31 is mounted within and extends above a gear housing 38 bolted orotherwise suitably secured upon a supporting base 39. Housing 38 isprovided with a removable cover 40 bolted thereon, provided with athickened collar 4| in which is suitably mounted a roller bearingassembly 42 through which shaft 31 extends, this assembly serving totake the radial thrusts of the shaft, there being a cover 43 bolted onthe upper end of collar 4| and fitting about shaft 31, At its lowerportion, shaft 31 is of increased diameter, at 45, below which the shaftis reduced in diameter to provide a terminal stud 46. This stud 43 fitsthrough inner race 41 of a roller bearing assembly 49 comprising aflanged outer race 49, seating upon the upper end of a thickened collar50 formed integrally with the lower wall of housing 38, there beingdownwardly tapering bearing rollers 5| confined between the races 41 and49. The shoulder at the lower end of enlarged portion 45 of shaft 31seats upon inner bearing race 41, the bearing assembly 48 thus servingto support shaft 31 and the load carried thereby. A cover 52 is boltedto the lower end of collar 50, it being noted that this cover is spacedaway from the lower end of stud 46 so as not to interfere with downwardmovement of shaft 31 incident to wear thereof and of the bearingassembly 48.

A vertical countershaft 53 is mounted at its upper end in a rollerbearing assembly 54 appropriately mounted in a collar 55 of cover 40and, at its lower end, in'a roller bearing assembly 56 appropriatelymounted in a collar 51 formed integrally with the lower wall of housing38. A cover plate 58 is bolted on the upper end of collar 55, a similarcover plate 59 being bolted on the lower end of collar 51. Countershaft53 is thus mounted for rotation about a vertical axis to one side ofshaft 31.

A gear 69 is keyed on shaft 31 at the upper end of enlargement 45thereof, and meshes with a pinion 6| keyed on countershaft 53. the toothface of this pinion being of appreciably greater width than the toothface of gear 60. The latter is shown as a spur gear, as is the pinion6|, but the gear and pinion may be of any other suitable type which willaccommodate downward movement of gear 68 relative to pinion BI withoutinterfering with proper operating mesh therebetween. Such downwardmovement of gear 60 occurs in the downward movement of shaft 31. itbeing noted that the lower end of hub 36 is spaced above the cover 43,as shown in Figure 4, and, as previously noted, the lower end of stud 46is spaced above cover plate 52 to permit such downward movement of shaft31 which, as will be understood, will not be great. The materialshandled by table 9 are frequently highly abrasive in character and, inspite of all precautions, a small amount of such materials may enterhousing 38 and the bearing assemblies. That, in conjunction with theweight supported by shaft 31, results in wear of the shaft and of thelower bearing assembly 48 and associated parts, with the result thatafter the table has been in use for some time, shaft 3'! moves slightlydownward. Such movement of this shaft is ac-- commodated by theintermeshing gear 69 and pinion BI, without in any way interfering withthe drive between these members.

A worm wheel '63 is keyed on countershaft 53, in mesh with a worm 64secured on a driven stub shaft 65, mounted for rotation in housing 38 inany suitable manner. The outer end of shaft 65 is secured by adetachable coupling 66, of suitable known type, to a shaft 61 rotatablymounted in a bearing structure 68 suitably secured to a supporting block69. The other end of shaft 61 is piloted in a bushing l8 mounted in oneend of a sleeve II keyed on one end of a drive shaft I2, which driveshaft includes a coupling 13 of known type and is driven by an electricmotor 1.9 mounted upon a supporting block I5, or in any other suitablemanner. Suitable means is provided for clutching and declutching shaft61 to and from shaft 72, and for automatically de-.

clutching these shafts responsive to overloading of table 9, as will nowbe explained. I

Sleeve H is provided, at the outer end thereof, with an outwardlyextending flange 11, from one face of which extends a thickenedannularly recessed collar '78. A drive clutch plate 19 seats in collar78 and is bolted or otherwise suitably secured thereto, plate I9 beingprovided at each face thereof with an annular friction lining orcovering 80, of suitable material secured thereto in a known manner. Asleeve 8i is splined on shaft 61 for movement lengthwise thereof androtation therewith. This sleeve 8| carries, at the end thereof adjacentsleeve II, a driven clutch plate 82 disposed at one side of clutch plateI9 for cooperation therewith. A collar 83 is splined on sleeve 8! formovement lengthwise thereof and rotation therewith, and carries a drivenclutch plate 84 disposed at the other side of drive clutch plate 19 forcooperation therewith. A flanged pressure sleeve 95 is threaded on theother end portion of sleeve 8| for adjustment lengthwise thereof, anysuitable known means being provided for locking sleeve 85 againstrotation relative to sleeve SI and securing it in ad- Justment. At itsinner end sleeve 85 is provided with an outwardly extendingcircumferential flange 88 disposed for cooperation with nose 81 of a cam11- mber 88, pivoted on a pin 89, extending between two web elements,one of which is shown at 90, integrally connecting collar 83 anddrivenclutch plate 84. In practice, several cam members 88 are provided,there being a pair of web elements 90 for each member 88 as will beunderstood. Cam member 88 is provided with a shank 9i extendingtherefrom outwardly beyond sleeve 85, the outer portion of which shankis bifurcated to provide two arms between the outer ends of which ispivoted, by means of a pin 92, the upper end of a link 93. The lower orinner end of link 93 is pivoted by a pin 94 between a pair of webelements, one of which is shown at 95, at one end of a sleeve 96slidably mounted on shaft 61 which, as will be understood, is anextension of the driven shaft 65. Adjacent its outer end sleeve 96 isprovided with a circumferential groove which receives a collar 91 havingdiametrically opposite, outwardly projecting studs 98 which extend. intoslots 99 formed in yoke I09 of a clutch lever I0| pivoted at its lowerend, at I02, as shown in Figure .1; between angle brackets I03 suitablysecured to block 69.

It will be seen from Figure 5 that shank 9|, of cam member 88, and link93 provide a toggle structure, it being understood that, in practice,any suitable number, conveniently three, of cam members 88 andassociated toggle structures are provided. When lever II is in itsposition shown in Figure 1, sleeve 96 is in its position shown in Figure5, at which time the respective cam members 88 are disposed as shown inthe latter figure, and the driven clutch plates 82 and 84 are out ofclutching contact with the drive clutch plate 19. In order to clutchshaft 61 to shaft 12 for rotation therew'ith, lever IIlI is swung towardthe left, as viewed in Figure 1, 'a sufficient distance to move sleeve96 from its position shown in Figure 5 inward into such position thatthe axis of pin 981s disposed somewhat nearer the sleeve 8| than theaxis of pin 92. That swings the respective cam members 88 in acounterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 5, about pin 89, whichfirst brings nose 8! of the cam member into contact with flange 86 ofsleeve 85. In the continued turning movement of the cam member, sleeve85 and collar 83 are forced apart, thus moving the driven clutch plates82 and 89 toward each other and forcing them into clamping contact withthe drive clutch plate 19, in which position they are held, due to thedisposition of pin 94 with its axis inward beyond the axis of pin 92.Shaft 61 is then clutched to shaft 72 to be driven thereby, thusrevolving the table 9 at the desired speed. The clutch means is enclosedwithin a suitable housing I95 secured upon collar 18 of flange IT in asuitable manner, as being shrunk upon this collar, bolted thereto, or inany other suitable way, this housing extending from collar 18 alongshaft 61 and being provided, at its other end, with an inwardlyextending flange I06 defining an opening which accommodates the sleeve96.

It is desirable thatmeans be provided for disengaging the clutch meansin the event of overloading of table 9, to prevent injury or breakage ofthe motor I4, or of the table and associated drive means therefor. Tothat end I provide a roller I 01, rotatably mounted on a. cap

screw I08, threaded in a boss I99 projecting from sleeve 96 radiallythereof. Roller I01 is disposed to contact a substantially V-shaped camelement I I8 extending outward from flange I06 parallel with sleeve 96,upon rotation of housing I05 relative to sleeve 96. Cam III) is of suchextent lengthwise of sleeve 96 and shaft 6? that, when the outer end ofcam element I I0 is in contact with roller I01, sleeve 96 is in itsouter declutching position shown in Figure 5. With the shafts 61 and 12clutched together, in the event of overloading of table 9 slippagebetween the clutch plates 19, and 82 and 84 will occur, with the resultthat clutch housing I05, and with it the cam element IIO, willturn-about shaft 51. When an inclined lateral face of cam element IIOcontacts roller I01, the cam element acts to force the sleeve 96 outwardinto its position shown in Figure 5, thus declutching shaft 01 fromshaft 12, after which sleeve 96 is held against inward movement intoclutching position by the cam IIO. When it is desired again to clutchshaft 61 to shaft 12, the latter shaft is turned slightly so as to movecam element IIO clear of roller I01, after which sleeve 95 may be movedinward into clutching position by means of the lever IOI.

As has been previously stated, the bins containing the differentmaterials, which are to be mixed together to form the mixture to besintered, are usually disposed remote from the sintering machine andcannot be observed by the operator at that machine. It frequently is ofimportance that these materials be mixed in definite predeterminedproportions, any substantial departure from which would adversely aflectthe sintering operation. It is desirable, therefore, that the operatorat the sintering machine be apprised of any stoppage in operation of anyof the feeder tables. For that purpose I provide suitable signal meansoperated responsive to the position of the clutch shift lever IOI toindicate whether or not the feeder table, driven through the clutchmeans controlled by that lever, is in operation. Conveniently, a signalboard or panel I I5 is suitably mounted in position to be readilyobserved by the operator at the sintering machine. This panel II5carries signal means, such as a red lamp H6 and a green lamp II1, theformer serving to indicate, when illuminated, that the correspondingfeeder table 9 is not in operation, and

the latter, when illuminated, serving to indicate that the correspondingfeeder table is in operation. One pole of lamp H6 is connected by a leadH8 to a conductor II9 connected to a suitable source of electricalenergy, and the other pole of lamp H6 is connected by a lead I to onecontact member I2I of a switch I22, a second contact member I23 of whichis connected by a lead I24 to a conductor I25 connected to the source ofelectrical energy. In like manner, one pole of lamp H1 is connected by alead I28 to conductor I25, the other pole of lamp II1 being connected bya lead I21 to a contact member I29 of switch I22, a fourth contactmember I29 of which is connected by a lead I30 to conductor H9. Thecontact members I2I and I23 comprise one pair, and the contact membersI28 and I29 comprise a second pair, switch I22 compr sing a contactorI3l shiftable to bridge one or the other pair of contact members.Referring to Figure 1, switch I22, which is of known type, is suitablymounted on a bracket I32 suitably secured to and extending upward fromblock 69. Thiswitch includes a rockably mounted operating shaft I33, onwhich is secured a forked operating lever I34. A pin I35 is secured tolever IN and extends therefrom between the arms of lever I34, the partsbeing so related that when clutch shift lever IN is in its declutchingposition shown in Figure 1, contactor I3I bridges contact members I2Iand I23, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 6, thus opening thecircuit of the green light H1 and closing the circuit of the red lightII6. That serves to apprise the operator at the sintering machine thatthe corresponding feeder table 9 is out of operation. On the other hand,when the lever IN is in clutching position, contactor I3I bridges thecontact members I28 and I29, as shown in full lines in Figure 6,apprising the operator that the corresponding feeder table 9 is inoperation.

Referring further to Figure 4, hub 36 extends upward a short distancebeyond flange 35 and seats in a corresponding recess in the under faceof flange 34. The vertical extent of hub 36 above flange 35 isconsiderably less than the vertical distance between the upper face oftable 9 and the lower end of body I0 of hopper 8, and shaft 31terminates within hub 35, preferably a short distance below the upperend thereof, as shown. That renders it possible, when flange 34 isunbolted from flange 35, to raise table 9 sufficiently to assure thatflange 34 will clear flange 35 and hub 36. The covers 52 and 59 andtheir associated securing bolts are disposed within suitable recessesformed in the lower wall of housing 38, so as to clear the upper face ofbase 39, which upper face preferably is fiat and continuous as shown.

The housing 38 and the parts mounted therein constitute a drive unit forrotating feeder table 9 as above described. In the event it is necessaryto repair or replace such a unit, stub shaft 65 is uncoupled from shaft01, at the coupling 66 therebetween, the bolts securing flanges 34 and35 together are removed, table 9 is raised by appropriately locatedjacks into position to clear flange 35 and hub 36, and the drive unit isunbolted from and slid off of the base 39. A replacement drive unit maythen be slid onto base 39 and bolted thereto, after which table 9 islowered into position with flange 34 seating upon flange 35 of thereplacement unit, flanges 34 and 35 are bolted together, stub shaft 65of the replacement unit is coupled to shaft 91, and the table 9 is againset into operation. During the operations of removing and replacing thedrive unit, the feeder table 9 is supported by the jacks in position tosupport the material upon the table and the material within the binabove it. The bin may contain from fifteen to twenty tons of material,which would be discharged therefrom if the table were removed. The time.and work required for handling that amount of material would beconsiderable. By having the table remain in position that delay isavoided and, since the removal and replacement of the table drive unitmay be effected comparatively quickly, any necessity for having feedertable 9 remain out of operation for a considerable length of time isavoided. That is of importance from the operating and productionstandpoint, since when a feeder table is out of operation the sinteringmachine which receives material from that table is also out of operationdue to inability to obtain the proper mixture of materials to besintered thereby.

I have shown the table 9 as being driven by an electric motor 14individual thereto. While that practice may be followed if desired, itis also contemplated within my invention that a plurality of feedertables may be driven by a suitable motor, each table having a driveshaft in which clutch means of the character herein disclosed isinterposed, whereby driving, or attempted driving of a table whensubjected to severe overloading will be avoided, and the condition ofthe table, with respect to its operation, will be indicated byappropirate signal means. It will be understood, of course, that thesignal board or panel I15, with but two lamps thereon, is illustrativeof a single feeder table,

' and that the number of pairs of lamps or signal devices on the boardor panel will correspond to the number of feeder tables. As aboveindicated, and as will be understood, changes in construction andarrangement of parts of my invention may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the field and scope thereof, and I intend to include allsuch variations, as fall within the scope of the appended claims, inthis application in which the preferred form only of my invention hasbeen disclosed. v

I claim:

1. In feeder means, a rotatably mounted feeder table, a hopper overlyingsaid table with its lower end open and spaced above said table fordelivering material thereto, a material retaining ring extending aboutsaid table circumferentially thereof and extending thereabove andsecured thereto for vertical adjustment for varying the depth of a layerof material retained by said ring on said table, and a scraper platemounted on said-hopper for vertical adjustment with its lower edgesubstantially in the plane of the upper edge of said ring disposed todeflect material from said table outward over said ring.

2. In feedermeans, a rotatably mounted feeder table, a hopper overlyingsaid table with its lower I 4 end open and spaced above said table fordelivering material thereto, a sealing ring mounted on said hopper forvertical adjustment and extending therebelow, a material retaining ringmounted on said table for vertical adjustment extending thereabove forretaining thereon a layer of material of a depth predetermined by theadjustment of said retaining .ring, and a scraper plate mounted on saidhopper for vertical adjustment with its lower edge substantially in theplane of the upper edge of said retaining ring disposed to deflectmaterial from said table outward over said retaining ring.

3. In a feeder means, a hopper open'at its upper and lower ends, arotatably mounted feeder table underlying said hopper in spaced relationthereto, a base, a circumferential retaining ring mounted on saidfeeder'table for vertical ad- Justment, a scraper plate mounted on saidhopper for vertical adjustment with its lower edge substantially in theplane of the upper edge of said ring disposed to deflect material fromsaid table over said ring, a drive unit removably secured on said baseunderlying said table and comprising a housing and a vertical shaftextending above said houslngcentrally of said table, and

means at the upper end of said shaft detachably securing it to saidtable, said securing means comprising vertically interengaged members,the vertical clearance between said table and said hopper beingsuflicient'to accommodate raising of said table into position to clearsaid shaft and Y said securing means. i

4. In feeder means, a hopper open at its upper and lower ends, arotatably mounted feeder table underlying said hopper in spaced relationthereto, a base, a circumferential retaining ring mounted on said feedertable for vertical adjustment, 9.

scraper plate mounted on said hopper for vertical adjustment with itsloweredge substantially in the plane of the upper edge of said ringdisposed to deflect material fromsaid table over said ring, a drive unitremovably secured on said base underlying said table and comprising ahousing and a vertical shaft extending above said housing centrally ofsaid table, a

" flange secured on said shaft above said housing,

aflange secured to said table concentric there- 'with dependingtherefrom and seating on said first flange, one of said flanges having,a vertical extension and the other flange receiving said extension, andmeans detachably securing said flanges together, the vertical clearancebetween said table and said hopper being suflicient, to accommodateraising of said table into position with said flanges disposed to cleareach othjer and said extension and said shaft.

5. In feeder means, a hopper open at its upper and lower ends, arotatably mounted feeder table underlying said hopper in spaced relationthereto, a base, a circumferential retaining ring mounted on and carriedby said feeder table, a scraper plate mounted on said hopper with itslower edge "substantially in the plane of the upper edge of said ringdisposed to deflect mate'- rial from said table over said ring, a driveunit removably secured on said base underlying said table and comprisinga housing and a vertical shaft extending above said housing centrally ofsaid table, and means detachably securing said shaft to said table, thevertical clearance between said. table and said hopper being such thatsaid table may be detached from said shaft and moved into positionpermitting removal and replacement of said drive unit and .theresupported by means independent of said drive unit and shaft whereby saidtable may remain substantially undisturbed and in approximately itsnormal operating position during removal and replacement of the drivingunit.

EDWARD W. SHALLOCK.

